5 lessons I learnt from the Lion King Movie

Welcome back to my blog! 

I’m enjoying the holiday quite a lot. Apart from spending time with my family, I also get to unwind by watching movies with them which is a favourite pastime for me. I watched the new Lion King at the cinemas and while I watched, I just realized there were some punchy lines and lessons that stood out for me and thought to share it in today’s post.

1.        “Always remember who you are” – Rafiki – the Monkey.

Mufasa had also resounded this to Simba by telling him “Remember who you are”. Sometimes in life, we tend to forget who we really are based on past or current happenings. Until the death of Mufasa, Simba knew he was the son of the king and was going to be King. Then he started flocking with Pumbaa (A Warthog) and Timon (An African Meerkat).  Pumbaa's name is derived from the East African language - Swahili which means "to be foolish, silly, weak-minded, careless, negligent". While Timon’s name was a historical Greek name which means “he who respects”. Imagine the king of the Jungle eating bugs and gallivanting around with a weak-minded animal? Although they helped him forget his immediate worries, they also almost made him forget his destiny. It can’t be overemphasized that your company is very important. They reflect your future. One of the ways to help you always remember who you are is by keeping the right company as they are the current that moves you towards your goal or assignment.

2.       “This is the moment I’ve been waiting for, I’m not a cub anymore” – Nala.

Know your seasons and your timings.  Life is in Phases they say. While Simba earlier wanted to take on anything thinking he was the soon-to-be-king even though he was still a cub, Nala knew it wasn’t time. And when it was the right time, she did justice to the Hyena. Strength exhibited at the right time would only lead to success. Never be pressured to act outside of your timing.

 “Patience is power. Patience is not an absence of action; rather it is "timing" it waits on the right time to act, for the right principles and in the right way.” 
― Fulton J. Sheen

3.       “The Hyenas belly is never full” – Scar

I have seen that being insatiable can lead to destruction of any form. There are a couple of things my holy book says are insatiable – The grave, the barren womb, the earth and fire. It does not mention our name (lol). “You say, 'If I had a little more, I should be very satisfied.' You make a mistake. If you are not content with what you have, you would not be satisfied if it were doubled.” 
― Charles Spurgeon

There is a difference between being contented and being complacent. I’d borrow these definitions from Carla Gasser “When you are content, you are willing to work on the things you can change and accept the things you cannot while keeping the proper perspective. When you are complacent, you are satisfied with mediocrity, possessing no real aspirations to do and be more”.

Contentment is great, Complacency/containment is not. Aspire to be better than your previous self but love the embodiment of who you are – Skills, Strengths, Skin and all the stuff that comes with it. I remember my daughter once telling me she wanted her hair to be long and smooth like the Oyibos. I told her, “Sweetie, the reality is that it can’t be like that. You are African, black and beautiful and our hair is Kinky, natural and fine just as the Lord pleases”. Gratefully, she’s never asked for long smooth hair again – Hopefully too!

4.      “Hakuna Matata” – It’s indeed a wonderful phrase. – Timon and Pumbaa

       

       "Hakuna-matata" is a Swahili language phrase from East Africa, meaning "no trouble" or "no problems". It was a song in the movie that taught Simba that he should forget his troubled past and live in the present. It is advantageous to know that ‘Your past is done so forget it, your future is yet to come so dream it, but your present is now so live it without regrets’

5.       Retrace your steps, fulfil destiny

This wasn’t a phrase used anyway but I loved the way Simba eventually gets to know he wasn’t the cause of his Father’s death. Before then, Nala and Rafiki persuades him to take his rightful place in Pride Land and fulfil his destiny as King and he did just that.

And that’s a wrap for me. For those with child(ren) who would be traveling abroad to study next month, I would be posting some Pre-departure tips and travel checklist as a guide – Hoping it would be useful.

I remain yours in inspiring educational excellence,

Yejide Akiode